Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State named Tree Campus USA for third straight year

August 25, 2010

Home to about 4,000 trees, the Indiana State University campus continues to fly the Tree Campus USA flag.

The nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Indiana State with Tree Campus status for the third straight year. The national program honors colleges and universities for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship.

During the past year, ISU grounds maintenance staff planted 103 newly purchased trees on campus and transplanted 109 additional trees from the university's tree farms to campus areas and newly acquired property on First Street near the Wabash River.

Workers planted more than 560 tree seedlings on four new tree farm areas located near the two CSX railroad lines along the east and north sides of campus. The tree farms are located near the railroad tracks for screening and sound absorption as well as beauty and general health benefits, said Stephanie Krull, grounds manager with ISU Facilities Management.

Indiana State plans to add more trees and shrubbery to campus through a new arboretum just north of the Bayh College of Education between Seventh and Eighth streets. The arboretum will feature shade-tolerant plants native to the Midwest, such as shagbark hickory, buckeye, dogwood, pawpaw, American Beauty berry and sweetshrub.

"Expansion of the tree farms and plans for the arboretum show that Indiana State recognizes the important contribution that trees can make, not only by keeping the campus and surrounding area attractive but by helping protect the environment," Krull said. "We're proud to once again be recognized as a Tree Campus USA and equally proud to be a partner with the city of Terre Haute, a Tree City USA, in helping enhance the quality of life in the Wabash Valley."

In order to achieve and maintain Tree Campus USA status, colleges and universities must meet five core standards of tree care and community engagement. Those standards include establishing a campus tree advisory committee, adopting a tree-care plan, dedicating annual expenditures for trees, observing Arbor Day on campus and instituting service-learning projects aimed at student engagement.

Tree Campus USA is supported by a grant from Toyota. To learn more about the initiative, go to www.arborday.org/treecampususa.